First Baby of 2019 Born to St. Inigoes Couple

One St. Inigoes couple had extra reason to celebrate on New Year’s Day as they are the parents of the First Baby of 2019 born at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown.

John “Jack” Yates Howson V was born at 7:55 am Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, to Rachel and John “Jay” Howson IV. Jack is the couple’s second child.

Mrs. Howson wasn’t due to give birth until Jan. 3, but woke up around 5 am feeling uncomfortable. Soon after that, her water broke. The parents were out late at a New Year’s Eve party and Mr. Howson admits he had had just a few hours of sleep when his wife’s labor started. Their previous experience had been quite different. Since labor with their first child – 2-year-old sister Zelena – had lasted for close to 36 hours, the couple was surprised their second baby was coming so quickly.

“I was determined not to have him in the car,” Mrs. Howson said. “The birth was totally natural, but not because we planned it that way.”

The young family didn’t have to wait long to meet their newest addition. Jack was born just two hours and 37 minutes after Mrs. Howson’s labor pains had begun.

Mrs. Howson, a stay-at-home mom, and Mr. Howson, a physicist at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, didn’t know before the birth that they were having a boy and were equally surprised to be welcoming him on New Year’s Day.

“I noticed when we signed in that ours was the first name under 2019,” Mr. Howson said.